Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
ImiJ of Soul (pronounced image) is a celebration of all things Jimi Hendrix! A psychedelic juggernaut playing Jimi with authenticity and reverence. Already noticed by the man who played Jimi’s parts with Billy and Buddy in Band of Gypsys (Andy Aledort) and literally wrote the book on Hendrix, ImiJ brings the Jimi experience live to you.
“ImiJ of Soul play Jimi Hendrix’s music with a truly authentic vibe and attitude, check them out!” – Andy Aledort…Guitar World Magazine, Band of Gypsys
“Some folks just get it, these guys GET it! ImiJ of Soul bring the music of Jimi Hendrix to life, no impersonations, no tricks just rockin the tunes we all grown to love, if you love Hendrix you need to see ImiJ of Soul” – Dustin Brayley…Trans Siberian Orchestra
Bill Altman …guitar and vocal
Fatty Be …bass guitar and vocal
David Cohen …drums
Enjoy the WNC Nature Center in the evening with a beer or cider in hand!
Wanna hear the best local music and drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.
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ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
– RAIN OR SHINE
The Pinkerton Raid is “a towering forest of indie rock with a timbre of folk that shadows Langhorne Slim, Cold War Kids and The Killers,” says THE SPILL. 2022’s THE HIGHWAY MOVES THE WORLD begins two decades ago in Jesse James DeConto’s childhood basement, where he learned The Beatles and first turned a songwriter’s eye on his own rich and complicated family life. “Radiant,” says AMERICAN SONGWRITER. “Poignant,” says ROLLING STONE. “Anthemic,” says AMERICANA-UK. Since the lockdowns, Jesse is back on the road with a totally new lineup, but, as always, a gang of friends with a full-band sound. The Durham, NC-based band has played at festivals from Georgia to Ohio, sharing stages with Liz Cooper, The Bones of JR Jones and The Nude Party. “A sound for dreamers around a campfire,” says GHETTOBLASTER. “Folksy indie rock,” describes FLAGPOLE MAGAZINE, “threads of the quilt of American folklore.”
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Annabelle’s Curse is an electrified indie-folk band from Bristol, TN/VA. The band has developed a reputation for high energy live shows and immersive studio albums. They have released five full-length albums and one EP. Since forming in 2010, Annabelle’s Curse has toured extensively throughout the southeast and mid-Atlantic, developing a devoted fan base. They have had the privilege of supporting acts such as Blues Traveler, Sam Bush, Langhorne Slim, Anderson East, Paul McDonald, The Hackensaw Boys, and Birds of Chicago. The band has been a staple at Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, most recently taking the stage for their 10th year, and have been featured at numerous other music festivals including Floydfest, Rooster Walk, Fall for Greenville, Rhythm N’ Blooms, and North Carolina Brewers Fest. The band has also appeared on PBS’s Music City Roots and Song of the Mountains.
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Hailing from North Carolina, two sisters and friends of the Maggie Valley Band came together in the town they now identify themselves with. Each member learned their trade of music in the beautiful mountains of Maggie Valley, NC. Sisters Whitney & Caroline Miller grew up in a home where playing the piano was a daily requirement. Daily requirements turned to passion as they hit the streets to street busk. After years of busking, The Maggie Valley Band was officially formed and decided to take it inside-to venues. TMVB released their album “The Hardest Thing” in 2018 under under the direction of Grammy & Emmy nominated producer, David Mayfield. TMVB comes together to produce a sound affectionately referred to as “Dark Appalachian”, ranging from folk rock to indie rock.
Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir is a golden ticket to adventure.
Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka KIDS follows enigmatic candy manufacturer Willy Wonka as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats, but the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka’s rules in the factory — or suffer the consequences.
This production is done by our Elementary School Community students in 1st-5th Grade. For more information on the Youth Community Theatre program, please visit our website.
Andrew Rudick is a nationally touring stand up comedian, writer and actor. One of the fastest rising comedians in the Midwest, his comedy can be heard regularly on SiriusXM and his debut comedy album opened near the top of the Apple Music charts. Combining a midwestern charm and high-energy absurdism, Rudick’s stand-up is a frequent hit both on stage and across social media on Tik Tok and Instagram. His relatable energy also earned him an appearance on HGTV’s “Design Fails.”
Rudick also loves Fleetwood Mac and doesn’t care who knows it.
Featuring TBA
ages 18+
doors at 6:30pm, show at 7pm
Tickets $15 advance, $18 day of
Support your firefighters and paramedics of North Carolina by coming to see the Hottest new artist out of Nashville TN. George Birge with “Give me that drink” song is sweeping the radio stations. Get your tickets now!

GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.
- Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
- 60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
- $33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
- Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue
*Legal Note: Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.
Enjoy the quiet of the Park after the gates have closed at this outdoor class led by Namaste in Nature. Enjoy a practice suitable for all levels of expertise as you overlook Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge. You won’t find a view like this in any studio! Lightweight yoga mats will be provided by your certified yoga teacher.


Music, Book, & Story by Steve Martin; Music, Lyrics, & Story by Edie Brickell
Set in our very own Blue Ridge Mountains, Bright Star tells the story of Alice at two different points in her life: as a young girl in the mountains, and 22 years later as the well-to-do editor of a successful Asheville magazine. A serendipitous encounter inspires Alice to face her past, and a stunning realization changes her life forever. Bright Star is based on the Grammy Award-winning bluegrass album, Love Has Come for You, and centers particularly on the song “Iron Mountain Baby.” Be sure to listen also for the song with our namesake – “Asheville”!
Content Warning: Bright Star contains swearing, language that some may find blasphemous, incidental drinking and smoking, and kidnapping.
Accessibility:
All performances: Accessible wheelchair/scooter seating available.
Saturday, May 6, 2023: ASL-Interpreted Performance
Possibly Shakespeare’s wackiest play, CYMBELINE features a panoply of Shakespeare’s greatest hits: orphaned royalty, mistaken identities, a cross-dressing heroine, a beheading, a war against Rome, poison that doesn’t really kill you, and more! Modern-day added characters Actor 1 and Actor 2 provide much-needed plot recaps and commentary on the action, and a rewritten ending provides some necessary catharsis. This whirlwind performance is one you won’t want to miss!
With: Molly Graves, Zak Hamrick, Christine Hellman, Erin McCarson, Alex McDonald, Jon Stockdale, Eric Vik, and Paul Vonasek.
Written (mostly) by: William Shakespeare.
Directed by: Melon Wedick.
The HALL at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium’s RELIVE THE GLORY DAYS concert series presents, Departure A Journey Tribute Band May 12 at 7:30pm. Tickets on sale NOW

The HALL at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium’s RELIVE THE GLORY DAYS concert series presents Slippery When Wet The Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute on May 12 at 7:30pm. Tickets on sale NOW
By Lauren Gunderson
Produced by Immediate Theatre Project
Four badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle hang out, murder Marat, and try to beat back the extremist insanity in 1793 Paris. It’s a true story. Or total fiction. Or a play about a play. Or a raucous resurrection…that ends in a song and a scaffold.
From the people who brought you Silent Sky comes this grand and dream-tweaked comedy about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world.
Discretionary Content: Adult themes and badass ladies
Join us for a conversation with multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi and filmmaker Liz Sargent about minority identity and racism towards Asians in America. Using songs, film, and photography, we’ll look at a history of Asian representation in media and culture. Kishi Bashi will be sharing clips from his upcoming film release, Omoiyari, a Japanese word which means to have sympathy and compassion towards another person.
A universal concept in human interaction that is required for a sustainable society, Kishi Bashi explores how empathy and the lack of it has played key roles in our modern quest for social equality.
About Kishi Bashi: Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym of singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Kaoru Ishibashi. Born in Seattle, Washington, Ishibashi grew up in Norfolk, Virginia where both of his parents were professors at Old Dominion University. As a 1994 graduate of Matthew Fontaine Maury High School, he went on to study film scoring at Berklee College of Music before becoming a renowned violinist. Ishibashi has recorded and toured internationally as a violinist with diverse artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and most recently, the Athens, Georgia-based indie rock band, of Montreal. He remains based in Athens.
https://www.kishibashi.com/
About Liz Sargent: Liz Sargent is a Korean American Adoptee whose award-winning work explores themes of adoption, disability and family. As a Writer/Director she incorporates her background as a choreographer into visual storytelling that channels complex human emotions that are an extension of her experience as the middle child of eleven and recognizing her intersectional identity as an adult.
www.sargentliz.com
On the title track to Welcome 2 Club XIII, Drive-By Truckers pay homage to the Muscle Shoals honky-tonk where founding members Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley got their start: a concrete-floored dive lit like a disco, with the nightly promise of penny beer and truly dubious cover bands. “There were no cool bars in town and Club XIII was the best we had—but it wasn’t all that good, and our band wasn’t particularly liked there,” says Hood, referring to the vocalist/guitarists’ former band Adam’s House Cat. “From time to time the owner would throw us a Wednesday night or let us open for a hair-metal band we were a terrible fit for, and everyone would hang out outside until we were done playing. It wasn’t very funny at the time, but it’s funny to us now.” The 14th studio album from Drive-By Truckers—whose lineup also includes keyboardist/guitarist Jay Gonzalez, bassist Matt Patton, and drummer Brad Morgan—Welcome 2 Club XIII looks back on their formative years with both deadpan pragmatism and profound tenderness, instilling each song with the kind of lived-in detail that invites bittersweet reminiscence of your own misspent youth.
Produced by longtime Drive-By Truckers collaborator David Barbe and mainly recorded at his studio in Athens, Georgia, Welcome 2 Club XIII took shape over the course of three frenetic days in summer 2021—a doubly extraordinary feat considering that the band had no prior intentions of making a new album. “We had some shows coming up and decided to get together and practice, since we hadn’t even seen each other in a year and a half because of the pandemic,” Hood recalls. “We started demoing song ideas, and pretty soon we realized we had a whole record. It was all sort of magical.” Featuring background vocals from the likes of Margo Price, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and Mississippi-bred singer/songwriter Schaefer Llana, Welcome 2 Club XIII was recorded live with most songs cut in one or two takes, fully harnessing the band’s freewheeling energy. “For us it’s always about just getting together and having fun, but this time there was the added feeling of being set free after a long time of wondering if we’d ever get to do this again,” notes Cooley.
Arriving as the band enters its 26th year, Welcome 2 Club XIII marks a sharp departure from the trenchant commentary of The Unraveling and The New OK (both released in 2020). “All our records are political to some extent, but after making three overtly political records in a row we wanted to do something much more personal,” says Hood. A hypnotic introduction to the album’s sprawling autobiography, “The Driver” kicks off Welcome 2 Club XIII with a seven-minute-long, darkly thrilling epic punctuated with lead-heavy riffs and Llana’s unearthly vocals. “Around the same era of Club XIII, I spent a lot of time driving around late at night when I couldn’t sleep, listening to music loud and often having a beer or two,” says Hood. “Sometimes during those drives I’d have these epiphanies about what to do with my life—like listening to Tim by The Replacements not long after it came out and deciding to drop out of school to try and make this whole band thing work.”
The album’s swinging centerpiece, “Welcome 2 Club XIII” spins a sublimely gritty portrait of the spot Cooley sums up as “part disco, part honky-tonk, part place to score cheap cocaine.” With its litany of inside jokes and references to Foghat and The Jim Carroll Band, the track unfolds as a joyful piece of anti-nostalgia, a sentiment perfectly captured in its sing-along-fueled outro (sample lyric: “Our glory days did kinda suck”). Meanwhile, on “Every Single Storied Flameout,” Cooley shares a far more pensive recollection of his younger years. “I wrote that song when my son was turning 16 and going through a rough patch for a bit,” he says. “Luckily, he’s turned it around and he’s doing great now, but it was a tough time for a while. Part of my way of dealing with it was to take ownership of the example I might’ve set, in the hope of leading him out of it.” Graced with the radiant melodies of a three-piece horn section, the result is a spirited anthem merging Cooley’s unsparing self-reflection with a bit of rambling wisdom (e.g., “That part of you that feels alive is wired and can’t be severed from the damage-seeking part of you that runs it/Just don’t embrace it with a vengeance before you’ve even shaved with a razor that you bought with your own money”).
Although Welcome 2 Club XIII has its moments of real-time observation (including “Maria’s Awful Disclosures,” on which Cooley connects the dots between early-19th-century anti-immigrant agitprop and the noxious paranoia of QAnon), much of the album serves as a free-flowing coming-of-age memoir. “Cooley and I have been playing together for 37 years now,” Hood points out. “That first band might have failed miserably on a commercial level, but I’m really proud of what we did back then. It had a lot to do with who we ended up becoming.” And while Drive-By Truckers never shy away from illuminating the many shades of grief that come with getting older, Welcome 2 Club XIII ultimately embodies a certain world-weary joie de vivre—an element beautifully encapsulated in one of its final lyrics, from the softly stunning “Wilder Days”: “As the sun gets dizzy watching us as we go spinning around/I find it best to laugh at the absurdity of life above the ground/There’s no comfort in survival, but it’s still the best option that I’ve found.”
A summer tradition returns to Pack Square Park, the popular FREE Movies in the Park series produced by Asheville Parks & Recreation.
.: MOVIE SCHEDULE :.
📽️ May 12 – DC League of Super-Pets, begins around 8:10pm
📽️ June 9 – Cruella, begins around 8:30pm
📽️ July 14 – Top Gun: Maverick, begins around 8:30 pm
📽️ August 11 – Little Giants, begins around 8:10pm
👉 Asheville Parks & Recreation Rec n Roll Fun Zone activities start an hour before showtime with games, giveaways, and other activities for kids and teens.
.: MAKE A PLAN :.
📍 All movies are free and begin at dusk in Pack Square Park on 80 Court Plaza in downtown Asheville. Approximate showtimes are listed, but plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior. Bring blankets and folding chairs for comfort.
📍 Asheville Parks & Recreation Rec n Roll Fun Zone activities start an hour before showtime.
📍 Bring money for food and treats from local vendors. Smokee’s Pizza is scheduled for opening night on May 12 while Tin Can Pizzeria is scheduled for the remaining dates. Kona Ice of Asheville and Kernel Mike’s World Famous Kettle Corn will be available at all dates.
📍 Free parking is available in marked spaces on city streets and in city-owned lots on Marjorie Street after 6pm.
📍 Pets, smoking, and alcohol are prohibited.
📍 Have fun! Dress up as your favorite characters, invite friends, and celebrate cool summer nights.
Movies in the Park allows people to enjoy blockbusters on the big screen with a spectacular backdrop – Asheville City Hall’s art decor exterior flanked by the rising mountains and a night sky full of stars. As Asheville’s town square, Pack Square Park’s central location allows community members in nearby neighborhoods including East End, Montford, South French Broad, and Southside to easily walk, bike, or ride to the show. Free parking in downtown after 6pm makes it a low-cost night out for those traveling from further away.
“Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” Written in just 10 days as a tribute to his sister Susan by playwright Robert Harling, Steel Magnolias explores the relationships between a tight-knit group of Louisiana southern ladies who gather in Truvy’s small-town beauty parlor, celebrating the milestones in each other’s lives. Filled with hilarious repartee and humorously acerbic verbal lacerations, the play deepens when the spunky Shelby (who is diabetic) contradicts her doctor’s advice and risks pregnancy. Steel Magnolias exemplifies the universal and unconditional strengths of sisterhood, resilience, and love.
Tumo Kohrs, is Mark Tuomenoksa and Sarah Kohrs, two extraordinarily talented musicians whose synergy and skills provide a sophisticated sound that exponentially exceeds what you would expect from any duo. While they principally perform on electric keyboards, they both are multi-instrumentalists and their repertoire includes the entire saxophone family as well as guitars and flute. While their playing skills are impressive, what separates them from the pack are the intimate original compositions of Kohrs combined with the powerfully evocative arrangements of Tuomenoksa. Sarah is a master of words, expressing nuanced emotions of love as well as the blunt realities of the pain that loving entails.
There are no pulled punches in Sarah Kohrs. And while her words spin the narrative, Mark’s arrangements bring the songs to life, alternately hugging and caressing, or forcefully spitting and biting, to magnify and amplify the experience. With Tumo Kohrs you don’t just tap your fingers. You cry, you laugh, you sit in stunned silence, or you jump out of your seat yelling, “Wow!” This is emotional hardball in the big leagues. You can’t hide; you’re going to feel it.
One of the beautiful things about Tumo Kohrs is the ease with which they switch gears – veering from sad to happy, serious to irreverent – and cross genres, all the while maintaining a delightful easy banter with the audience. In the end you realize that you’ve just ridden a roller coaster through many of life’s most powerful forces – love, trust, friendship, relationships – and you’re somehow better for the journey.
Sarah Kohrs and Mark Tuomenoksa aren’t following anyone, they are blazing a new trail forged entirely out of their indomitable spirits. And they are just getting started.
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BJ Leiderman isn’t following anyone either. He blazed his trail in the world of music and public radio decades ago.
For over 40 years, award-winning composer BJ Leiderman has enjoyed a multifaceted career as composer, lyricist, producer, copywriter and voice talent.
He is best known as composer of the Public Radio themes for Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, Car Talk’s ‘Stump The Chumps’ theme, NPR Science Friday, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me! and Marketplace.
Leiderman has scored TV and radio commercials for clients including Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, US Air, Corporation For Public Broadcasting, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Chamber of Commerce, General Mills and General Electric, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, The Annenberg/CPB Project and Christian Broadcasting Network
Every Friday Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. This week is Emily Walsh and Jill Weiner from NYC!
Emily Walsh
Emily Walsh is a comedian who performs nightly in bars and comedy clubs across New York City. Originally from Boston, MA, Emily moved to New York City after college to pursue her dream of painting scenery for theatre, film and television. She still paints sometimes because comedy doesn’t provide health insurance. Emily was recently featured on Kevin Hart’s Lyft Comics on Peacock. Her festival credits include HBO’s Women in Comedy Festival, SF Sketchfest, West End Festival in Atlanta, Boston Comedy Festival, the Out of Bounds Festival in Austin, and the Rogue Island Comedy Festival in Newport, RI. She cohosts the podcast Alone at Lunch, part of the Morbid podcast network on Wondery, and hosts and coproduces a monthly show at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn called Golden Ticket. Her mom is very supportive of her comedy, and really wants her to write a tv show called “Lady Seinfeld.” So look out for that.
Jill Weiner
Born in Atlanta, GA, matured in San Francisco, and now residing in New York City, Jill Weiner is a comedian and writer. Jill’s jokes appeared on NBC, and most recently Jill was a finalist in Houston’s Riot Comedy Festival. She also participated in the New York Comedy Festival, placed second in the Trial by Laughter Comedy Festival, and performed at the Boston Comedy Festival. She co-produces and co-hosts a weekly, standing-room-only comedy show in New York called Laf Dance Saloon, and is the first female champion of the New York City based roast battle, Comedy Fight Club.
She performs nationally and can be seen regularly at New York Comedy Club, Stand Up NY, and slurping soup at New York’s hottest diners.
Featuring Andrew Rudick
ages 18+
doors at 9, show at 9:30pm
The Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer program in Buncombe County is now accepting applications for initial training this fall. We are looking for individuals who want to serve their community, expand and share their gardening knowledge, and work in a team environment.
To become a certified Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer, individuals accepted into the program are required to complete the 40-hour initial training program, pass an examination, and complete an internship of 40 hours of volunteer service. Additional continuing education (15 hours) and volunteer service to the community (30 hours) are required for annual recertification.
Training will be held in-person, during the day Tuesdays, August through November.
The application deadline is June 1, 2023. Completed applications should be emailed or printed and mailed or delivered to the Cooperative Extension Office at 49 Mount Carmel Road, Suite 102, Asheville, NC 28806.
A training fee of $150 is due upon acceptance into the training program. Scholarships are available, please inquire.
More information on the Master Gardener program in Buncombe County, including Frequently Asked Questions and Activities to Fulfill Your Volunteer Requirements, is available on the Buncombe County Extension website. Click here: Buncombe County Extension website
Download and print an application: 2023 EMG Application and Certification Agreement
Helping Gardeners Put Knowledge to Work
The free, definitive resource for finding local food and farms also features farm stories and recipes.
The 2023 Local Food Guide, ASAP’s annual free publication for finding local food and farms, hits newsstands this week. This definitive resource lists hundreds of Appalachian Grown certified farms, farmers markets, restaurants, groceries, travel destinations, and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. A digital version of the print Guide may be viewed at asapconnections.org/guide.
In addition to the listing content, the 2023 edition features stories that highlight the variety of farming across the region. Jake Puckett, of Crow Fly Farms in Marion, NC, details his passion for holistic animal management. Malcolm Banks, of Yellow Mountain Gardens in Franklin, NC, describes his mission to teach his neighbors—and the world—to grow their own food. Gwen and Jay Englebach, of Black Trumpet Farm in Leicester, NC, talk about building a business and customer relationships. Rounding out the issue are seasonal recipes from chefs at Cultura, Little Chango, The Montford, and Red Fiddle Vittles.
Find Local Food Guide copies at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, community centers, groceries, restaurants, and other partner businesses throughout the region. They are also available to pick up in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville at 306 W. Haywood St., Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact ASAP if you need help locating a copy in your area.
In addition to the print Guide, ASAP maintains the online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. This database, with more than 1,400 listings, is updated throughout the year and is searchable by products, locations, activities, and more.
The 2023 Local Food Guide is made possible in part with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agricultural Marketing Service and Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Fund, as well as the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and Asheville Regional Airport.
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Celebrate with us by contributing to the future of the arts in Western North Carolina.
Make your 75th Anniversary Spring Annual Fund donation today! |
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! The Diamond Anniversary is a time to honor our rich heritage and—more importantly—envision our future as the premier visual arts organization in this vibrant, creative region.
Founded in 1948 by a group of local artists to showcase the scope and depth of creativity in Western North Carolina (WNC), the Museum brings art of international significance to the region and encourages lively, diverse dialogue.
The Museum’s original home was a modest, unheated, three-room building on Charlotte Street in the former sales office of Dr. E.W. Grove. The building was designed by Richard Sharp Smith and provided to the Museum by the City of Asheville. Exhibitions by local painters and sculptors could only be staged in warmer weather, and Sunday afternoon receptions gave the community an opportunity to view original art and to listen to artists talk about their work. By the 1950s, the Museum had become an invaluable part of Asheville’s cultural life. It also began acquiring artworks for its Collection.
Three quarters of a century later, the Museum has evolved into the preeminent cultural and educational hub for WNC—welcoming tens of thousands of visitors annually, hosting several major exhibitions each year, holding scores of special programs, and housing its Collection of more than 7,500 works in its state-of-the-art Pack Square location. From its humble beginnings on Charlotte Street to its breathtaking permanent home in the heart of downtown Asheville, the Museum has remained dedicated to Its mission to engage, enlighten, and inspire individuals and enrich the community through dynamic experiences in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Asheville Art Museum was built, cherished, and supported by the community throughout the past 75 years. Our anniversary celebration will give back through community partnerships and special programs, and by creating new reasons to visit or become a Member. We hope you’ll join us at one (or all) of our Diamond Anniversary special events: the 2023 Gala on June 17th, the 75th Anniversary Community Day Celebration in August, and the 75th Anniversary Dance Party in November!
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Raffle: Trip to NYC 2023
Enter to win a fabulous trip for two to New York!
Raffle tickets on sale through Sunday, August 6, 2023!
Tickets are $50 and only 500 will be sold.
Travel package for Thanksgiving 2023, with check-in on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 and check-out on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Prize includes:
- Two round-trip Business Class tickets to New York from Asheville Regional Airport
- Transfers to and from the airport to your hotel
- Accomodations for four nights in Midtown at The Lotte New York Palace, with a choice of one king bed or two double beds
- VIP Macy’s Parade Day experience, including brunch and complimentary drinks, access to indoor and outdoor VIP viewing areas, and access to the Inflation Celebration of parade balloons on Wednesday afternoon
- Orchestra seating tickets to the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
- Tickets to a Broadway show
- Up to $500 to spend on guided tours or additional theatre tickets
- Personal consultation with Foothills Travel to customize your trip
- On-site concierge provided through MyBucketListEvents
The drawing will take place the week of August 7, 2023. Winner will be notified by phone call and email.
Asheville Merchandise Guide
All the wearable merch in Asheville in one place.
We love a souvenir T-shirt
So much so that we were inspired to create this guide, first published in May 2023. We’ll be updating it a few times a year, and we encourage you to check in with the businesses listed in the guide about availability. Often merch sells out quickly or is a limited edition.
While these items aren’t strictly secondhand, we love supporting local businesses and know firsthand how lovely it is to hold on to a memory of a special place you visited on a trip.
If you know of some merch we’re missing or have feedback or questions, fill out the form below to let us know!
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We’re offering TWO grade levels this summer for our workshops:
- Younger Ages (Rising First – Third Grade) and
- Older Ages (Rising Fourth – Tenth Grade)
Pricing
First Student: $350 per week
Sibling & Multiple Week Camp Discounts are available
Madagascar Workshop
June 12-16 & July 17-21
Get read to MOVE IT, MOVE IT!
Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins in this crack-a-lackin’ adventure from New York City to Madagascar.
Matilda Workshop
June 19-23 & July 24-28
It’s time to act like REVOLTIN’ CHILDREN!
Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however – the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils’ saving grace!
Shrek Workshop
June 26-30 & July 31-August 4
Come and let your FREAK FLAG FLY!
It’s a “big bright beautiful world” as everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. When Shrek sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad, he’s handed a task — if he rescues feisty princess Fiona, his swamp will be righted. Shrek tries to win Fiona’s love and vanquish Lord Farquaad, but a fairytale wouldn’t be complete without a few twists and turns along the way.
The Little Mermaid Workshop
July 10-14 & August 7-11
Discover what it means to be PART OF YOUR WORLD!
In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid, Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home — and her fins — behind and live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl whose enchanting voice he’s been seeking.




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